10 best sweetshops in Kolkata for sandesh, rasagulla and other Bengali sweets during Durga Puja

The frenzied beating of the 'dhak', carefully draped new clothes and the complete shut down of most Bengali household kitchens are just some of the signs that Durga Puja is here. Innovative 'Pujo' pandals in Kolkata feature themes that celebrate the Supreme Court's Section 377 verdict, tributes to the sex workers of Sonagachi and jaw-dropping recreations of the Padmaavat set. But the creativity doesn't end there. It extends to all aspects of the festival - including Bengali sweets.

10 best sweetshops in Kolkata for sandesh, rasagulla and other Bengali sweets

The quintessential Bengali shondesh and roshogolla remain the favourites during the festivities. The basis for both is very simply milk and sugar, but the techniques, consistency, shapes, sizes, colours and flavours are staggeringly vast. For those of you who are lucky enough to be in Kolkata this year, here's a list of the top sweet shops to look out for with a shout out on what their specialities are and what they're whipping up as a Durga Puja special. So whether you're going home to Kolkata for Pujo or are travelling there for the experience, here are the ten best sweetshops in Kolkata for rasagulla, sandesh and other Bengali sweets:

1. Mouchak

Started in 1964 with a single shop, the red and yellow Mouchak signage can now be seen across 8 branches in Kolkata. The rasgulla, their signature item, is found in various avatars - Kamala Bbhog (orange flavoured), mango and chocolate, and even a 2-in-1 strawberry and vanilla creation. Currently trending is the baked rasgullas and their sandesh cake.

2. Hindusthan Sweets

This 70-year-old shop definitely has the most diverse range on offer. While the traditional sweets including rasgullas (ranging from regular to talk-jhaal-mishti roshogulla a spicy and sweet concoction) and mishti doi continue to be bestsellers, this brand has made an impressive foray into the world of herbal sweets. Think shondesh that can could cure you of insomnia? Or a tulsi doi that can help you avoid frequent colds and coughs. Using concentrates of traditional Indian herbs, their discovery of prescription sweets has been a huge hit. They even export their sweets to the UK, Japan, Indonesia and Bangladesh. The Pujo special this year is a sinful ghee bhaja chhanar malpua - an Indian pancake fried in clarified butter and dunked into sweet syrup. Expect this to hit their 13 outlets during the week of Durga Puja.

3. Girish Chandra Dey & Nakur Chandra Nandy

Better known as Nakur Nandy, this shop has been in existence since 1844. Though it has only one Bengali sweet on offer - the sandesh -- you have close to 40 varieties to choose from. It's a motley range that includes the popular Jolbhora (a shondesh with a shot of date palm jaggery inside it) and Abar Khabo (literally translated as - 'Once more' - this is a combination of cottage cheese, sugar, kesar and nuts). Trending favourites that have been recently introduced include Utsav, a white shondesh flavoured with mawa (kheer), butterscotch and kesar and Golapi peda, a peda that uses infused rosewater essence. Their Pujo special this year is a sandesh made from roasted almonds with a careful emphasis on using less sugar. With only one operating branch in Kolkata, it's recommended you head there early this week to sample these delicacies.

4. Balaram Mullick & Radharaman Mullick

It all started with a hutment and a tiny kitchen where founder Ganesh Mullick catered to south Calcuttans back in 1880. It now boasts six branches across Kolkata and is famous for its baked rasgullas, mango flavoured mishti doi and kheer kodom - a sweetened khoya dumpling stuffed with a rasgulla. With the current generation focusing on healthy alternatives, their daab shondesh features in the no-added-sugar category and is made from 'daab' (tender green coconut), chhana (cottage cheese) and daaber jol (coconut water). Head there during Durga Puja for their newly launched Aagomoni shondesh - a mix of kesar with white sandesh garnished with chopped pistachios. And if you're too busy pandal hopping, call them up for a doorstep delivery service.

5. Nalin Chandra Das & Sons

Another revered Kolkata sweetshop, this one dates back to 1841. Known for its Monda - the traditional sweetmeat that has Bangladeshi origins -- this sweet was a particular favourite with Rabindranath Tagore. With variations like the chocolate Jolbhora (sandesh infused with a shot of dark chocolate right at its centre), the Blackforest - a soft creamy white sandesh encased with a hard covering of dark chocolate and the Chocolate Ice Cream sandesh, and with other sweets like Brazilian Samba, Missed Call and Spanish Tikitaka, it truly seems to define the modern Bengali sweets. Their Durga Puja special is Rosho Madhuri - a rice pudding made out of chhana (cottage cheese) and combined with kesar and mini roshogollas served in a decorated glass cup or in decorated earthen pots. They cater to 15+ households during Durga Puja. So if you're wondering what to pick up for the next Pujo baari you're visiting, this would make for the perfect gift.

Ph: 09231549842 (Tapan Das)

6. New Kalpana Sweets

New only by name, this sweet shop has been in existence for 85 years. They also have a variety of savoury items on offer including the Bengali samosa and the Dalpuri (puris filled with mildly spiced moong dal). You can also look out for their Mango Roll -made from aamshotto - the Bengali aam papad where mango pulp is mixed with a concentrated sugar solution and dried in the sun. For Durga Puja this year, their special feature includes Chhanadana Kheer - a liquid kheer dessert made from milk and sweetened with the traditional batasha - a simple, Bengali sugar disc that resembles a meringue (without the egg whites).

7. Haldiram

Possibly the most popular 'non-Bengali' sweets and savoury shop in Kolkata, Haldiram's is an institution that exists all over the country. The Kolkata branches offer a variety of Bengali sweets including the sandesh in all its variations as well as the dorbesh - the Bengali laddu. Their bestsellers are however the original creations from Bikaner that include kaju and anjeer barfis (diamond shaped cashew nut or fig sweets) and other nut-based items.

Ph: 09830011127 (Jay Kishan Baheti)

8. Gupta Brothers

A list of sweet shops in Kolkata would be incomplete without mentioning the Gupta Brothers. Originally from Uttar Pradesh, this store is a popular destination for traditional sweets and snacks made with pure ghee. They are known to be the original founders of Abar Khabo - a combination of the 3 most popular mishtis - roshogolla, mishti doi and shondesh. Modern avatars include a mixed fruit boat cup and a chocolate badaam laddu. Complement these with their famous Raj Kachori (a spicy chaat bowl filled with various condiments) or a traditional Rajasthani thali to complete the Gupta Brothers experience.

Address: 198 Block-J,New Alipore; Kolkata. Ph: 08482031442 (Vinod)

9. Sen Mahasay

Dating back to 1885, Sen Mahasay is known for their time-tested recipes. They do sell sandesh, of course, but their other bestseller includes the Rasmalai - white flattened balls of chhana soaked in malai (clotted cream) and flavoured with cardamom. Durga Puja visitors this year can expect to buy a portion of Chandrapooli - a coconut based kheer dish that will be available right until Laxmi Puja.

Ph: 09051729973 (Sandip Sen)

10. Mithai

Serving customers for more than 60 years, Mithai is famous for its signature sweet Kumkum - a kheer kodom - a sweetened khoya dumpling stuffed with a rasgulla where the emphasis lies on the size of the rasgullas (theirs are huge) rather than the portion of kheer (which is less), thus producing a wholesome mouthful. Their specials include the Gorom Roshogolla - hot roshogolla which is available at the store only from 2.30 pm onwards and is freshly made without using any preservatives. Their Pujo special includes a massive cake shondesh that will be inscribed with a Bengali message for the festival.